I’m sitting here with a song in my head (“Treat Her Like A Lady” by the Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose), trying to figure out a ‘70’s song to use as the lead in for this article.

Doh!  I guess I’ve already got it!  Now that we have the song thingy figured out . . .

First, I’d like to say that I, in NO WAY, consider myself an expert on marriage.  I’m still trying to practice what I preach.  Walk the talk.  Be real.  You get the point. 

In 30+ years of marriage, I’ve made lots of mistakes and have learned a lot of lessons – some the hard way.  One of the first lessons I learned was from an elderly gentleman.  He said, “Son, I’m the head of my household.  My wife is the neck that turns the head.”  I’ve never forgotten that bit of advice and it’s served me well all these years.  Here are some other things I’ve learned over the years.

Treat Her Like A Lady In Public. 

When my first wife and I have been out with friends, nothing would make me feel more uncomfortable than to see one of the guys treat their wife with disrespect.  I’ve witnessed this more than I care to count.  Being the macho dudes that we are (quit the giggling, ladies!), it’s tempting to try to “fit in” and treat our wives the same way as the other guys do.

Why not be different?

The next time you’re in a social situation and one of the guys is treating his wife like hired help, break away from the herd.  While your fellow troglodytes are giving their wives the cave man treatment, treat YOUR wife like a queen.  Hold her hand in public.  Carry the bags when you are out shopping.  Heck!  Volunteer to take her to that latest chick flick that she’s wanting to see . . . and ask the other couples if they want to come along.  That will blow her mind and theirs!

Treat Her Like A Lady At Home. 

Treat your lovely bride like the queen that she is.  Show her love and respect – especially in front of the kids (regardless of their age and whether or not they’re still living at home).  She has decorated your life so treat her like the valuable (and valued) person that she is.  This will not only do wonders for your relationship, it will also positively impact how your kids treat her AND how they treat their spouses when they are married.

Treat Her Like A Lady With Your Finances

I’ve seen friends and family act like an ogre whenever their wives wanted to buy something for themselves.  The guy would blow a gasket and then, not long afterwards, go out and buy some new “toy” (read that as T.V., boat, sports gear, etc.) without giving it a second thought.

I hate to admit it, but I’ve been guilty of this behavior once or twice over the years.  Okay, maybe three times but definitely not more than a million times.  I had to tweak my thinker on this matter and loosen up the purse strings a bit.

I’m not saying that caution should be thrown to the wind when it comes to the family budget.  I am saying that, regardless who brings home a paycheck or contributes the most to the family income, treat your bride like a queen when it comes to money.

With all of that said, change will not happen overnight but is a journey – a process worth the investment.  Who best to invest in that our lovely brides?

I realize that my suggestions have likely caused some of my fellow Troglodytes to vote me off of the island.  I’ll miss all of the chest bumping and head pounding we so fondly shared.  However, I would bet my half eaten ham sandwich that one of these suggestions has sparked an idea that will, in some way, make your wife feel like a queen and make you look like her knight in shining armor in eyes.

Now, if you’ll pardon me, I’ve got a date with my first wife that I am running late for.